Africa News February 12, 2014 at 06:33AM

VENTURES AFRICA – Closed-end investment company, Africa Opportunity Fund (AOF) has announced it plans to raise about $100 million via the placement of C shares at $1.00 per share, after agreeing that its ordinary shares be moved from London Stock Exchange’s AIM market to the Specialist Fund Market of the exchange, with admission expected to become effective immediately, and dealings before March ends.

As C shares are not allowed on the AIM, trading of the shares will only become possible if they are admitted on to the Special Funds Market.

AOF and Africa Opportunity Partners Ltd, its investment manager also intends to conditionally revise the management fee to be paid the investment manager upon completion of the placing.

“The directors currently intend to take the opportunity before Admission to propose, as an ordinary resolution, that the company continue in existence. If the continuation resolution is passed, a further continuation resolution will be put to shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting in 2019 and every five years thereafter,” the company said in a statement.

AOF expects to provide its shareholders an opportunity to realise all or part of their shareholding in the company, dependent however on the shareholder’s approval and completion of the placing. A continuation vote that would give way to this is scheduled for 2019.

“Placing and admission will however be subject to market conditions,” the company said, adding that it would announce further details later.

The investment company’s decision to issue C Shares was explained in a statement released in January when AOF said it was “considering raising additional capital through an issue of C shares”.

The company said this was “in response to demand from investors and in light of the continued attractive investment environment in Africa”.

AOF’s investment objective is to “earn capital growth and income through value, arbitrage, and special situations investments in the continent of Africa,” according to the AOF website.